Audiobook Cost Calculator

Step 1 of 4 — Who are you?

Who’s using this calculator?

This calculator covers full-service audiobook production — narration, editing, and mastering. Not sure about a term? Look out for the ? icons as you go.

Your currency Display only — not a conversion

How long is the book?

Enter the total word count, or pick a typical length to get started.

words

What’s included in your estimate

Your estimate covers the full production package — all three stages are included.

Included services

Narration

Recording by a professional voice-over artist

Editing, proofing and cleanup

Removing errors, breaths, and background noise from the recording

Mastering

Final polish and formatting for platforms like Audible

What you’ll be providing

Your estimate covers the full production package — all three stages are included.

Services included in your fee

Narration

Your recording time in the booth

Editing, proofing and cleanup

Your time cleaning up the raw recording

Mastering

Your time on final polish and formatting for platforms like Audible

Your narration speed and rate

First, tell us your narration speed — then choose how you'd like to set your rate.

Narration speed

7,920 words per hour is the figure we use as a starting point, based on our experience in audiobook production. Your actual pace may be faster or slower — use the demo recording option for a more accurate result.

Enter your words per hour rate directly. You may have calculated this previously or have it on file.

words per hour

Record a short excerpt from your book, then enter the word count of that excerpt and how long the recording is. The calculator will work out your personal narration speed.

words in the excerpt

How long is the recording?

min sec

7,143 words per hour — your personal narration pace

Your per finished hour rate A per finished hour (PFH) rate is what you charge for every one hour of completed, ready-to-publish audio. It covers narration, editing, and mastering combined — the standard way audiobooks are priced.

Enter the rate you charge per finished hour of audio. You can fine-tune this on the next screen.

Your PFH rate £

Your Audiobook Cost Calculation

Estimated total cost

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Rate

Cost per finished hour We’ve used £250 as a default — adjust to match the rate you’ve been quoted.

Narration speed

We’ve used 7,920 words per hour as a default, based on our experience in audiobook production. Adjust this if you know your narrator’s actual pace.

Words per hour e.g. 7920 = approx. 132 words per minute

What would you like to do next?

Find a narrator

Browse our directory of professional audiobook voice-over artists

Manage my project

Tell us about your book, and we’ll coordinate narration, editing, and mastering end-to-end.

v1.7.4

Your Audiobook Cost Calculation

Suggested total fee

—

Figures are rounded and may vary slightly.

Want to change your PFH rate?

Narration speed

We’ve used 7,920 words per hour as a default, based on our experience in audiobook production. Adjust this if your actual pace differs.

Words per hour e.g. 7920 = approx. 132 words per minute

Production hours per finished hour

For every one hour of finished audio, each stage takes more than one hour of actual work. Narration typically takes around 1 hour 15 minutes per finished hour — retakes and direction mean it’s rarely a single clean run. The figures below are based on our production experience; adjust them to reflect your own workflow.

Narration e.g. 1.25 = 1 hr 15 min per finished hour

Editing, proofing and cleanup e.g. 1.5 = 1 hr 30 min per finished hour. If you proof-listen yourself, include that time here.

Mastering e.g. 0.75 = 45 min per finished hour

Total production time per finished hour 3.5 hours

Individual rates

All three rates start equal, based on your entry in Step 4. Override any individually — for example if your narrator charges more than your editor. The total and PFH will update automatically.

Hourly rate per role

Narrator £ /hr

Editor £ /hr

Masterer £ /hr

Blended hourly rate — /hr

What each stage works out at

Narration — —

Editing — —

Mastering — —

What would you like to do next?

Join the Connect directory

Get found by authors and publishers looking for narrators

Need music for your project?

Find the perfect track in our royalty-free music library.

v1.7.4

What can this be licensed for?

This is an overview of our music / effects uses.

Standard License covers: -

General

Use it in any territory / part of the world
No time limitations
The licensee can reuse in multiple projects subject to our license terms.
You can edit and/or loop the length of the music / effects for timing purposes

Video / Film production

Use on a physical medium i.e. DVD, CDROM etc. up to 5000 copies.
Video production for the web including sites like YouTube or your/company’s website etc.
- No limit on the number of video views
- Includes use on videos monetized by adverts.
Photography / video slideshows (online, wedding)
Includes corporate videos and presentations
Educational / Tutorials
Student films and festival films.
Local Television / Radio
TV / Radio programmes (excludes advertising/commercials)

Apps / Games / Software

Free to use apps, games or software
Max. 5,000 sales or subscriptions of paid apps, games or software

Audio Products

Audio Books
Podcasts
Hypnosis / Self-help
Max. 5,000 sales or subscriptions
Free to listen audio products

Other business uses

Music on Hold
In-Store Advertising
Trade Exhibitions
Conference & Seminars

Discounts for students, Charities and personal use only

Extended License covers: -

Extended License A to C

Please select from Extended license options A to C if you need to produce more than 5,000 copies of your product

For more than 1,000,000 copies please get in touch for a custom quote.

Extended D to E: Regional/National or Worldwide TV & Radio Advertising

These license options include the same uses covered in the standard license but extend its usage to include regional/national or worldwide TV and Radio advertising campaigns.

Usage on local and independent stations is covered by our standard license.

Extended F to G: National or Worldwide Theater / Cinema release (including in-theatre advertising / screening pre-roll)

These license options cover usage in large scale theatrical or cinematic productions.

If your project is a local / small production our standard license will suffice.

Extended H: Household Brands

Please select this Extended license to cover usage by blue chip / household brands. This license option allows for global, ongoing use on all known platforms with a single license fee.

Not sure? On a Budget?

If you are unsure, have a requirement not covered here, a limited budget or special requirement please get in touch.

For additional information, see our Royalty Free Music Help.

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Seeing How Much it is?

Standard License covers: -

General

Video / Film production

Apps / Games / Software

Audio Products

Other business uses

Discounts for students, Charities and personal use only

Extended License covers: -

Extended License A to C

Extended D to E: Regional/National or Worldwide TV & Radio Advertising

Extended F to G: National or Worldwide Theater / Cinema release (including in-theatre advertising / screening pre-roll)

Extended H: Household Brands

Standard License covers: -

General

Video / Film production

Apps / Games / Software

Audio Products

Other business uses

Discounts for students, Charities and personal use only

Extended License covers: -

Extended License A to C

Extended D to E: Regional/National or Worldwide TV & Radio Advertising

Extended F to G: National or Worldwide Theater / Cinema release (including in-theatre advertising / screening pre-roll)

Extended H: Household Brands